I have had a northstar for 2 1/2 years. The first two years it worked perfectly. Now, however, I cannot get a real blazer of a fire that will clean my windows/heat house etc. It just doesn't seem to have the good draft it used too. Burning seasoned/shedded wood, the air flow hole is open, chimney and cap has been cleaned, no apparent obstruction at outside air intake. When I crack the doors open the fire responds to the air like it used to with the doors closed and the air opened by levers. Repair man says that the levers seem to be working. Any ideas?
reduced air flow in northstar
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Yes, could be that some wood stayed damper for some reason. This has happened to me. Can you access wood from a different stack as a check?
Was the wood that was not 2 yrs old younger or seasoned longer than 2 yrs.?
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It was seasoned only one year. What is noticeable though, is that if I crack the doors, it really flames up like it used too and you can see the air feeding/whipping the fire. It used to do that with the doors closed. Somehow, I can't help but think there is an impediment to the air flow. Probably a simple solution if I could only find it. Would love to see a schematic on the air channel for this fireplace. The air hole is on the bottom, right in front. It seems to me that someone else would have had this same problem in the internetsphere, and would be able to tell me what to look for.
What you describe is typical of partially seasoned wood. We see this comment often. The odds are it's not the fireplace. Get some known dry wood and I bet the issue disappears.
Appreciate the advice. But. Put in three year old hedge and oak onto a coal bed. Just smoldered with the levers all the way open. Crack the door open and get a roaring blaze. The cold air input is in the attic. Could spiders have built webs in the cold air tube? Remember, this fireplace worked great for the first two years. Grabbing at straws while realizing it is probably something simple.
I've got a Heat N' Glo northstar as well. Try letting the fire go out, and clean all the ash out. Then get your shop-vac and put the hose up to the air holes that come out of the back side of the little triangle thing in the front center of the stove. There's three of them, and that's where the main combustion air comes in. Its possible that's gotten plugged up with ash and whatnot, so cleaning that thing out might help your problem.
While you're in there, run the shop vac over the secondary burn tube holes at the top of the stove - its not likely these have anything in them, but it also takes no time to do.
You said the cap is clean, has the whole flue been swept out as well, and how many cords of wood have been through it since this was done? We get swept every year in the spring, and got a bad sweep once that didn't reach all the way to the top of the chimney. Ended up with similar effects to what you're describing due to poor draft.
While you're in there, run the shop vac over the secondary burn tube holes at the top of the stove - its not likely these have anything in them, but it also takes no time to do.
You said the cap is clean, has the whole flue been swept out as well, and how many cords of wood have been through it since this was done? We get swept every year in the spring, and got a bad sweep once that didn't reach all the way to the top of the chimney. Ended up with similar effects to what you're describing due to poor draft.
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Thanks much. I thought there was only one hole in the front for combustion air. Will check that out. I swept the chimney myself about a month ago. Took the cap off, cleaned it, then swept all the way down. Thanks much.
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